Santa Claus Comes Early for Joey + Rory’s Family

Christmas is right around the corner, but Joey + Rory and their baby daughter won't have to wait to see Santa Claus this year.

In an adorable new update to his This Life I Live blog on Friday night (Dec. 18), Rory Feek writes, "Santa Claus came to our house this evening. He was a week early, but right on time."

It turns out some close friends of the couple had called a few days earlier and said they were sending over a box of gifts, and that it would be delivered via special messenger. "And boy, they weren’t kidding," Rory notes. "The Kris Kringle that showed up at our door wasn’t your ordinary shopping-mall Santa. This one was the real deal… or as close to it as I’ve ever personally seen. He had the real beard, the real belly, and on top of that he had the kindest smile and a heart for special babies and mama’s with no hair… I loved him from the moment I met him."

The couple's 22-month-old daughter, Indiana, wasn't so sure at first; her father posted a picture of her crying in Santa's lap. But everyone quickly warmed up, and Santa took a seat next to Joey, revealing that he was a fan of the duo's music. They had a long conversation with him in which he revealed he is a retired law enforcement officer who found his true calling spreading joy through the Christmas season after he retired. Before he and Mrs. Claus finally left, they posed for the sweet picture below with the entire family.

ThisLifeILive.org

Joey has been battling Stage 4 cancer since she was diagnosed in June, a year after undergoing surgery in her initial cancer fight. She has undergone more surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, but her doctors have told the couple that there is nothing more they can do, and they recently ended her treatments. The brave singer has set a goal to live until February so that she can see both the Grammy Awards — in which Joey + Rory are nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance — and Indiana’s second birthday, but for now the family have been trying to celebrate this Christmas as normally as possible and make as many memories as they can.

According to Rory Feek, Santa's early visit helped them do just that. "What a beautiful way to kick off the week leading up to Christmas," he writes.